US 'Played Drama to the Press': Ex-SDF Spokesman on Daesh Evacuation From Raqqa

A former spokesman of the Syrian Democratic Forces, who had fled to Turkey, has revealed secrets regarding the US-led coalition's participation in Raqqa's liberation.

ANKARA (Sputnik) — A former spokesman of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Talal Silo, said in an interview with the Anadolu news agency that Daesh terrorists were allowed to leave Syria's Raqqa by order of the United States in order to resist the Syrian government army in Deir ez-Zor.

"According to the Americans, the [Syrian President Bashar Assad] regime army could reach Deir ez-Zor in six weeks. But when the regime army proceeded faster than expected, the U.S. wanted the SDF to begin negotiations with Daesh. Thus, the terrorists would go to Al-Bukamal [near the Iraqi border] and prevent the regime’s advance. Talks were held to allow 3,500 terrorists to leave," Silo, who fled to Turkey in mid-November, said.

Further commenting on Raqqa's liberation, he said that a unique performance was staged to cover up this operation, with a group of people from the Ain Issa camp being presented as terrorists who had surrendered to the SDF.

"They played the second drama to the press. They forbid journalists from going to Raqqah [Raqqa]. They told the journalists that they would fight foreign Daesh members who are unwilling to leave the area. But they did not even shoot a bullet. During this time, Daesh members who left the city reached the places they were going. Then we announced that Raqqah was taken. We found out later that some of Daesh members gave bribes and went to other places," Silo said.

Raqqa was not the first place from which Daesh terrorists were evacuated as a result of an agreement, he noted, adding that the same deal was made with regard to Al Tabqah near the Euphrates River, where the United States allowed a safe corridor to be created for 500 Daesh militants, with weapons and ammunition to be relocated to Raqqa.

"It was the third. … The Manbij Military Council issued a statement just before Manbij was declared clear. It announced that 2,000 Daesh members were allowed to leave the city with human shields. The SDF, the U.S. and Manbij Military Council provided security for Daesh members and allowed them to go towards Jarablus. This was the first agreement," Silo said.

Daesh Fighters' Evacuation From Raqqa

On October 14, the US-led coalition announced a civilian evacuation from Raqqa, also with the support of the SDF helping to evacuate about 250 Daesh militants from the area, what was revealed by the BBC. The Pentagon has confirmed the information, saying that about 300 Daesh militants were withdrawn from the liberated city under an agreement between the SDF and the city council, but refuted allegations that the US-led coalition was one of the parties to the deal.

Raqqa, which had been seized by Daesh in 2014 and proclaimed the terror group's capital, was liberated on October 20, when the SDF announced the full liberation of the city, which was later confirmed by the US-led coalition after a months-long operation, which had been launched in December 2016.

SDF Used as 'Cover'

In his interview, Talal Silo, who previously fled to Turkey has also disclosed that the SDF group was created by the US as a guise to provide weapons to the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is listed as a terrorist organization by Ankara.

As Silo explained, the rebel group was signing documents on receipt of arms, which were transferred to the PKK. At the same time, despite talks about fighting terrorism, the US was trafficking Daesh terrorists via an agreement reached with the regional PKK leader.

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